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Hero king
The hero king is a philosophical model of government that believes a country is best ruled by an absolute ruler who serves their people. This is a stark contrast to the Mesopotamianist model (also known as the "divine king" model) where the ruler derives their rule because they are serving a god or multiple gods. The philosophy, though not technically democratic, has elements of democracy in it, as the hero king is expected to listen to his people and at least take into consideration their ideas, even though he has no obligation to actually do so. Because the king ostensibly listens to his people, the public do not ultimately question his decisions or his authority, as the public trusts that the king has actually taken into consideration their concerns and implemented the best possible policy. Overview The hero king concept has its roots in the wider philosophy of modern classicism, as the concept takes its inspiration from the "epic heroes" of ancient Mesopotamian, Greek and Roman lore. It is seen as a direct counterweight to the concept of the philosopher king conceptualized by Plato. That king, as seen by Plato, derived their legitimacy based on the fact they were more knowledgeable and perceptive than the average person, and thus intuitively knew what the best policy decisions were because of it. The hero king, conversely, does not claim to be any smarter or more perceptive than the average person- rather, he legitimizes his rule because he actually listens to his people and implements the policies they actually want, rather than what he thinks they want. Typically speaking, the hero king begins his rule because- metaphorically or physically- he was able to take up arms and eventually defeat a massive enemy that had troubled his people. Because the hero king fought for his people, he believes he owes them their service, so even though he takes absolute power for himself, he does not make official decisions without consulting the people themselves. The public, in turn, are so grateful for having a hero that "saved them" that they do not dare to actually question his legitimacy or his actual policies. They may disagree, but they do not dispute the king's wisdom because of the king's perceived graciousness. Historical Hero Kings The following are notable people who have been described as "hero kings" by people in their lifetime or by historical scholars. This is not an exhaustive list, as the following are listed as examples only. * Gilgamesh (2912-2839 BC), King of Uruk: after the Great Flood, he rebuilt the destroyed city and expanded it further, making it the most powerful city state in the lower Mesopotamian basin. It is said that Gilgamesh laid the foundation for the later Kingdom of Sumer whose kings descended from him. * Omri '(935-869 BC), King of Israel: Omri ended centuries of rule by the Caananites who had enslaved the Israelites after they sought refuge there following the Sea Peoples attack on Egypt. Omri subsequently established the powerful Kingdom of Israel at Samaria, which lasted for almost 200 years. * 'Jimmu '(711-585 BC), Emperor of Japan: he was the first ruler who successfully united the group of islands that are commonly referred to as "Japan" today, defeating several Japanese warlords. * 'Alexander the Great '(356-323 BC), Emperor of Macedon: united the Greek city states and defeated the Achaemenid Empire which had long been a thorn in the side of the Greeks. * 'Octavian (63 BC-AD 14), Emperor of Rome: Ended over a century of civil wars in Rome and established the office of the Roman Emperor (reigning under the title of "Augustus"), which brought peace to the Roman state for over 200 years. He stylized himself as the "first citizen" and was actually revered as a god, though Octavian did not actually see himself as a deity. He is often described as the first "real hero king" because of his accomplishments and regal style. * Arthur '(462-512), King of Britain: Ended years of chaos following the invasion of Britain, establishing the first British Empire that saw the island of Great Britain and Gaul come into his possessions. He also established the Righteous Concern which lasts to this day. * 'Temujin (1162-1227), Emperor of the Mongols: First Great Khan of the Mongols, Temujin- who adopted the regal name Genghis Khan- was the first to unite Mongolia and establish it as a major global power, being the first country that brought peace to the lucrative Silk Road. * Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566), Sultan of the Ottomans: firmly established the Ottoman Empire as a major power, gaining a stranglehold on the Middle East. Though he was a practising Muslim, Suleiman was seen as a liberator and widely listened to his people, with some even creating a cult in his name (though Suleiman would not honour this). * 'Thomas Rotler '(1886-1973), Chancellor of Germany: Often seen as the "prototypical" hero king, since he began his rule by forcefully ending the destructive Weimar Republic and establishing Germany as a dominant world power. He often called himself "the German hero" and later authorized a cult in his name, though his authorization of the Holocaust has meant few actually see him as "heroic" today. See also * Mesopotamianism * Modern classicism * Personality politics